![]() Louis Wodon (the chef de cabinet of Leopold III from 1934 to 1940), thought the King's oath to the Constitution implied a royal position "over and above the Constitution". In 1934, Albert died under mysterious circumstances as he climbed solo on the Roche du Vieux Bon Dieu at Marche-les-Dames. The line now descends from his nephew and successor, Albert I of Belgium, who ruled while 90% of Belgium was overrun by the forces of Kaiser Wilhelm II and is notable for his forays into colonial rule of the Belgian Congo and later, abeyant Wilhelm, the League of Nations mandate in Ruanda-Urundi. Leopold II died without surviving legitimate sons. on 15 August 1887, and in 1905, against Prime Minister Auguste Beernaert) and was accused by Yvon Gouet of noncompliance with the country's parliamentary system. On several occasions Leopold II publicly expressed disagreement with the ruling government (e.g. The Free State scandal is discussed at the Museum of the Congo at Tervuren in Belgium. Many Congolese were killed as a result of Leopold's policies in the Congo before the reforms of direct Belgian rule. There was scandal when the atrocities in the Congo Free State were made public, causing the Free State to be taken over by the Belgian Government. Leopold's son, King Leopold II, is chiefly remembered for the founding and capitalization of the Congo Free State as a personal fiefdom. Equestrian statue of King Leopold II in Brussels, Belgium Leopold I quickly became one of the most important shareholders of the Société Générale de Belgique. King Leopold I was head of Foreign Affairs "as an ancien régime monarch", the foreign ministers having the authority to act only as ministers of the king. ![]() Nevertheless, in 1961, the historian Ramon Arango, wrote that the Belgian monarchy is not "truly constitutional". The Kingdom of Belgium was never an absolute monarchy. Belgium's monarchs are inaugurated in a purely civil swearing-in ceremony. Since he is bound by the Constitution (above all other ideological and religious considerations, political opinions and debates and economic interests) the King is intended to act as an arbiter and guardian of Belgian national unity and independence. The royal office of King is designated solely for a descendant of the first King of the Belgians, Leopold I. ![]() Hereditary and constitutional Īs a hereditary constitutional monarchy system, the role and operation of Belgium's monarchy are governed by the Constitution. This day has since become a national holiday for Belgium and its citizens. Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was designated as King of the Belgians by the National Congress and swore allegiance to the Belgian constitution in front of Saint James's Church at Coudenberg Palace in Brussels on 21 July. įollowing this refusal, the National Congress appointed Erasme-Louis, Baron Surlet de Chokier to be the Regent of Belgium on 25 February 1831. In February 1831, the Congress nominated Louis, Duke of Nemours, the son of the French king Louis-Philippe, but international considerations deterred Louis-Philippe from accepting the honour for his son. The Congress voted on the question on 22 November 1830, supporting monarchy by 174 votes to 13. When Belgium gained independence from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1830, the National Congress chose a constitutional monarchy as the form of government. ![]() The incumbent, Philippe, ascended the throne on 21 July 2013, following the abdication of his father Albert II. There have been seven Belgian monarchs since independence in 1830. The monarch is titled King (or Queen) of the Belgians ( Dutch: Koning(in) der Belgen, French: Roi/ Reine des Belges, German: König(in) der Belgier) and serves as the country's head of state and commander-in-chief of the Belgian Armed Forces. Belgium is a constitutional, hereditary and popular monarchy. ![]()
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